Ayurvedic practitioner in Nevada City, California with Karen Callahan

The California College of Ayurveda is pleased to introduce the Ayurvedic Health Practitioner Interns 2014. Interns have completed their academic studies and work under the supervision of experienced clinical instructors. This semester's talented group of interns comes from throughout the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.

Ayurvedic Health Practitioner (AHP) interns work on supporting patients to adopt a healthy lifestyle that is in harmony with their constitution. Patients learn about their constitution as well as the nature of any imbalances. They will also receive support to adjust their diet and lifestyle accordingly and to normalize your digestion and elimination. As part of the Ayurvedic program, an intern can include ayurvedic herbs, aromatherapy, color therapy, sound and mantra, and Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy. This is is the best of preventative health care! For those who have a specific condition and are looking for clinical management through Ayurvedic Medicine, they should consider having a consultation with an Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist intern or graduate.

Interview with Karen from Nevada City

1) What inspired you to study Ayurvedic Medicine?

I first heard about Ayurveda while watching the Dr. Oz show in late 2011. Soon after, I bought a book to learn more and was hooked. After all, I had practiced yoga and meditation on again and off most of my life, and nutrition had been a longstanding passion. Within two months, I signed up for classes with the CCA. I was still not quite sure what I was getting into, but I felt compelled. From my first class and every day forward, I have never regretted my decision. Instead, I have thanked the Divine for guiding me to what I believe is my true dharma, and each day I focus on absorbing and practicing the principles of Ayurveda so I can better share them with others.

2) What do you think makes Ayurveda attractive to the public?

Many today feel overwhelmed by the diverse opinions expressed in the media, where one week this diet or that study claims to have a cure, only to have another trend or study negate the findings a few weeks later. Ayurveda not only helps us understand why the results vary so widely, it provides customized recommendations and 5,000 years’ worth of consistency, so we no longer feel the need to jump on every bandwagons that comes along. In addition, the public seems to be losing its love affair with prescription medications as a result of high costs and long-term side effects. Ayurveda provides remedies that are preventive, long-term, systemic, focused on alleviating the root cause rather than treating symptoms, and does so with less overall risk. What could be better than that!?

3) What do you think about the future of Ayurveda in the United States?

I think the next decade is going to see a dramatic increase in the awareness and acceptance of Ayurvedic medicine in the U.S. It seems to be getting into the main stream media more the past few years, and I’m constantly surprised by people who know what I am talking about when I drop the A word. There is no doubt that stress, anxiety and depression seem to be skyrocketing as quickly as Twitter. There is a growing need for the guidance that Ayurveda, yoga and meditation can provide.

4) What is your favorite therapy in this traditional system of medicine from India?

This is a hard question because I have so many favorites. I love abhyanga massages; daily self-abhyangas have changed my life. Pranayama and Yoga Nidra are pure magic. All three of these treatments ground me almost instantaneously, allowing me to live more fully in the moment and attract greater positive energy into my life.

5) What does your path to Ayurveda look like?

I was born in Chicago and have lived in Indiana, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico and California at different times since. A graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara in Communications and Dramatic Arts, I’ve spent the majority of my career as a marketing director and an events manager for tradeshows and conferences throughout the U.S. Job stress, a divorce, the death of my elderly parents and the approach of mid-life made me realize that I needed to make some changes in order to prevent quality-reducing health issues later in life. Ayurveda saved my sanity and gave me the purpose I was seeking. Now every day is a journey into deeper self-understanding and the magic of seeing it unfold. As I begin my internship, I look forward to guiding my patients on a similar journey. My hobbies include screenwriting, travel, music and hiking.